Body of hunter, 62, found near Blanchard

The body of a hunter who was last seen Sunday morning was discovered Monday by Bonner County search crews near Blanchard, Idaho.

Robert Arndt, 62, of Spirit Lake, was reported missing Sunday evening, Bonner County Sheriff Elaine Savage said.

Savage said Arndt had medical problems, but his cause of death has yet to be determined.

Hours after Arndt was reported missing, Bonner County authorities were called to Schweitzer Mountain after a snowboarder went missing.

Gary Miller, age unavailable, was reported missing just before 3 a.m. Monday. The Schweitzer Ski Patrol found Miller on the west side of the mountain just before 11 a.m.

Savage said Miller had gone outside the boundaries of the ski area. He spent the night outside and was cold, wet and tired when he was rescued, Savage said.

He was also complaining of a sore right knee, she said.

The Sheriff’s Department did not release additional details Monday.

– Taryn Brodwater

Traffic stop uncovers Army deserter

A Sandpoint man arrested Friday morning for deserting from the U.S. Army was released Monday morning from the Bonner County Jail and ordered to return to his base at Ft. Sill, Okla.

Pvt. Christopher P. Sanders, 36, had been missing from his unit since June 21, according to information in a federal warrant. Sandpoint police found him Friday morning when he ran a stop sign, police Chief Mark Lockwood said.

During a background check, officers discovered the unusual federal warrant, which asked police to hold Sanders without bond and said the Army would pay for his extradition from anywhere in the world.

Sanders, who gave his latest address as an apartment building in Sandpoint, appears to be from New Albany, Ohio, where his wife lives, according to Lockwood.

He said Sanders was let off with a warning on the traffic charge. “It’s not going to do us a whole lot of good to charge the guy,” he said. “He’s the Army’s now.”

According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, desertion carries a maximum penalty of death, though that sentence hasn’t been imposed since World War II.

– James Hagengruber

Coeur d’Alene

Sex offender arrested on new charges

Coeur d’Alene police arrested a registered sex offender Monday on charges of lewd conduct with a minor.

Scotty James Bailey, 34, moved to Coeur d’Alene about a year ago from Minnesota, Coeur d’Alene police said. He was convicted in May 2006 of producing and distributing child pornography in that state.

The new charges against Bailey stem from an alleged sex offense earlier this year, Coeur d’Alene police Sgt. Christie Wood said. Bailey is also charged with felonious administration of drugs for allegedly using the drug Halothane to sedate the preteen female victim.

Bailey’s first appearance in court is scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Kootenai County Courthouse.

– Taryn Brodwater